Microsoft Learning:

Exam 70-454:

Upgrade: Transition Your MCITP SQL Server 2005 DBD to MCITP SQL Server 2008 DBD

Published:December 09, 2008
Language(s):English, French, German, Japanese, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified)
Audience(s):Developers
Technology:Microsoft SQL Server 2008
Type:Proctored Exam
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Exam Topics CoveredThis is an upgrade exam that allows a candidate to upgrade their MCITP Database Developer certification from SQL Server 2005 to SQL Server 2008.
Audience Profile
Candidates for this exam are IT Professionals or Developers who have a minimum of one year of experience in a position in which their main area of responsibility is database development by using SQL Server 2005 or SQL Server 2008.  Alternatively, they work in an environment in which databases are directly related to their primary job roles. These candidates have sought out knowledge of and experience using SQL Server 2008 to enhance their technical expertise, and they would like to take the exam to be able to demonstrate this technical expertise. Candidates should also be proficient at creating and managing database objects by using SQL Server T-SQL.  Roles these candidates typically fill include:
  • database developers who use a SQL Server 2008 database as a component of their overall solutions
  • software developers who sometimes write application code against systems that run SQL Server 2008 and also sometimes write T-SQL or Microsoft .NET code that runs inside SQL Server 2008
  • developers who create,  extend, or support third-party applications that are built on SQL Server 2008
Credit Toward CertificationWhen you pass Exam 70-454: Upgrade: Transition Your MCITP SQL Server 2005 DBD to MCITP SQL Server 2008 DBD, you complete the requirements for the following certification(s):MCITP: Database Developer 2008
Note This preparation guide is subject to change at any time without prior notice and at the sole discretion of Microsoft. Microsoft exams might include adaptive testing technology and simulation items. Microsoft does not identify the format in which exams are presented. Please use this preparation guide to prepare for the exam, regardless of its format.
Skills Being MeasuredThis exam measures your ability to accomplish the technical tasks listed below.The percentages indicate the relative weight of each major topic area on the exam.The higher the percentage, the more questions you are likely to see on that content area on the exam.

The information after “This objective may include but is not limited to” is intended to further define or scope the objective by describing the types of skills and topics that may be tested for the objective. However, it is not an exhaustive list of skills and topics that could be included on the exam for a given skill area. You may be tested on other skills and topics related to the objective that are not explicitly listed here.
Implementing Tables and Views
  • Create and alter tables.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: computed and persisted columns; schemas; scripts to deploy changes to multiple environments, for example, dev, test, production; manage permissions (GRANT, DENY, REVOKE)
  • Create and alter indexes.

    This objective may include but is not limited to: filtered, included columns, unique, clustered, non-clustered, FILL FACTOR; CREATE STATISTICS; indexing views
  • Implement data types.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: FILESTREAM; spatial, structured, and semi-structured; collations
Implementing Programming Objects
  • Create and alter stored procedures.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: table-valued parameters (TVP), EXECUTE AS, RECOMPILE, parameter direction (output); WITH ENCRYPTION; manage permissions (GRANT, DENY, REVOKE)
  • Create and alter user-defined functions (UDFs).
    This objective may include but is not limited to: WITH SCHEMABINDING, EXECUTE AS;  manage permissions (GRANT, DENY, REVOKE)
  • Manage transactions.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: BEGIN TRANSACTION, COMMIT, ROLLBACK, SET TRANSACTION ISOLATION LEVEL
Working with Query Fundamentals
  • Query data by using SELECT statements.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: LIKE, WHERE, ORDER BY, INTO
  • Modify data by using INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE statements.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: row constructors, DELETE FROM FROM, UPDATE FROM, TRUNCATE TABLE
  • Implement aggregate queries.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: built-in aggregate functions, GROUPING SETS, GROUP BY, HAVING
  • Combine datasets.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: CROSS APPLY, OUTER APPLY, all join types; UNION, UNION ALL, INTERSECT, EXCEPT
Applying Additional Query Techniques
  • Implement subqueries.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: simple, correlated, scalar, list, table valued
  • Implement CTE (common table expression) queries.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: recursive, non-recursive
  • Apply ranking functions.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: RANK, PARTITION BY, DENSE_RANK, OVER, ROW_NUMBER, NTILE
Working with Additional SQL Server Components
  • Implement full-text search.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: CONTAINS, CONTAINSTABLE, FREETEXT, FREETEXTTABLE, STOPLIST
  • Implement scripts by using Windows PowerShell and SQL Server Management Objects (SMOs).

    This objective may include but is not limited to: cmdlets
  • Implement Service Broker solutions.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: services, queues, messages, message types, message validation, contracts, activation procedures
Working with XML Data
  • Retrieve relational data as XML.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: FOR XML
  • Transform XML data into relational data.

    This objective may include but is not limited to: OPENXML, sp_xml_preparedocument, sp_xml_removedocument
  • Query XML data.

    This objective may include but is not limited to: XQUERY, XPATH
Gathering Performance Information
  • Capture execution plans.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: graphical execution plans; SHOWPLAN
  • Gather trace information by using the SQL Server Profiler.
Designing a Database Strategy
  • Identify which SQL Server components to use to support business requirements.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: SQL Server Agent, DB mail, Service Broker, Full-Text Search, Distributed Transaction Coordinator (DTC), linked servers
  • Design a database model.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: normalization, entities, entity relationships
  • Design an application strategy to support security.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: application roles, schema ownership, execution context, Windows vs. SQL authentication, permissions and database roles
Designing Database Tables
  • Idenify the appropriate usage of new data types.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: geography, geometry, hierarchyid, date, time, datetime2, datetimeoffset, varbinary (max) filestream
  • Design tables.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: table width,  sizing data types, IN_ROW_DATA (BLOBs), overflow data, sparse columns, computed columns, persisted computed columns
  • Design data integrity.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: primary key, foreign key, check constraint, default constraint, NULL/NOT NULL, unique constraint, DML triggers
Designing Programming Objects
  • Design T-SQL stored procedures.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: execution context (EXECUTE AS), table-valued parameters, determining appropriate way to return data, WITH RECOMPILE/OPTION (RECOMPILE), error handling, TRY/CATCH
  • Design T-SQL table-valued and scalar functions.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: inline table-valued functions vs. views, multi-statement table-valued functions, determinism
  • Evaluate special programming constructs.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: dynamic vs. prepared SQL (CREATE PROCEDURE… WITH EXECUTE AS) procedure, protecting against SQL injection
Designing a Transaction and Concurrency Strategy
  • Design the locking granularity level.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: locking hints, memory consumption
  • Design for concurrency.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: hints, transaction isolation level, effect of database option READ_COMMITTED_SNAPSHOT, rowversion and timestamp datatypes
Designing an XML Strategy
  • Design XML storage.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: determining when to use XML for storage, untyped vs. typed (XML schema collection)
  • Design a strategy to transform XML into relational data.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: .nodes, .value, .query, XQuery and XPath
Designing Queries for Performance
  • Optimize and tune queries.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: optimizer hints, common table expressions (CTEs), search conditions, temporary storage, GROUP BY [GROUPING SETS|CUBE|ROLLUP]
  • Analyze execution plans.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: execution order, logical and physical operators, join operators, minimize resource costs, compare query costs
Designing a Database for Optimal Performance
  • Optimize indexing strategies.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: table-valued function, views, filtered indexes, indexed views, clustered and non-clustered, unique
  • Design a table and index compression strategy.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: row vs. page, update frequency, page compression implementation, compressing individual partitions
  • Design a table and index partitioning strategy.
    This objective may include but is not limited to: switching partitions, merging, splitting, staging, creating, schemes and functions
Preparation Tools and ResourcesTo help you prepare for this exam, Microsoft Learning recommends that you have hands-on experience with the product and that you use the following training resources. These training resources do not necessarily cover all of the topics listed in the "Skills Measured" tab.
Learning Plans and Classroom Training There is no classroom training currently available.
Microsoft E-Learning There is no Microsoft E-Learning training currently available.
Microsoft Press Books There are no Microsoft Press books currently available.
Practice Tests There are no practice tests currently available.
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